The forest was quiet, but the air carried a tension that clung to Alan like a shadow. Every rustle of leaves made him pause, senses sharpened, instinct screaming caution.
Beside him, Edward leaned against a twisted tree trunk, his hand lightly resting on the hilt of his sword, though his eyes never left the path ahead.
"We can't hide here forever," Edward muttered,
voice low but steady, almost like a half-joke to mask the seriousness. "We should return to Kaelira. She'll be waiting."
Alan nodded silently, feeling the weight of responsibility pressing against his chest.
Eris, who had been silent so far, tilted her head, her gaze sharp, curious. "Who is that?" she asked suddenly, voice cautious. "The woman with you?"
Alan looked at her, then nodded. Suddenly Alan's eyes widened slightly.
"Hey… how do you know? Have you been… watching us… secretly?"
Eris hesitated, trying to form a lie, to distract him from the truth. But the words slipped anyway. "Yes… I was. Because… I already said… You guys could help me here."
Edward, who had been watching her carefully, placed a hand on Alan's shoulder, firm but reassuring. "Brother," he said softly.
Alan only nodded quietly, swallowing the mixture of suspicion and understanding that churned within him.
Edward straightened, his voice returning to its habitual calm. "Okay, let's move. There's not much time."
They advanced silently, each step careful as the forest gave way to the distant outline of the village. But then, something caught their attention.
Alan's dark eyes narrowed. "What's happening there?" he whispered, voice tight with curiosity.
Edward followed his gaze. A crowd had gathered in the village square. The villagers stood huddled together, expressions a mix of fear, sorrow, and defiance.
Eris's lips curled into a faint, bitter smirk. "The foolish village," she muttered. "Pathetic humans, always following whatever they are told."
Alan's brow furrowed. "Do you know what's happening?"
"Yeah," Eris replied softly, her voice tinged with unease. "It's… a crowd meeting."
Edward exhaled slowly. "We don't know the full story. Let's hear what they're saying first."
Eris shot them a warning look. "Are you two fools? If we go closer, they'll see us."
Alan shook his head. "We have to. We need to know what's really happening."
Eris hesitated but finally gave in, smirking ruefully. "Fine. Let's get closer… but stay quiet."
They edged closer, slipping between trees and underbrush, until they found a concealed spot near the outskirts of the crowd. From here, the scene was terrifyingly clear. The villagers, most of them standing in rigid rows, waited in tense silence.
A man stepped forward from the crowd, his steps deliberate. His voice, when he spoke, carried authority. "Everyone knows today is an important day. We gather… for our village… for our families."
The villagers' faces hardened-some worn with worry, others broken by grief, a few tight with anger.
The man continued, voice sombre. "Today… we have lost many of our family and friends… but still… this is our village. We endure."
Then-
An old man appeared.
He walked slowly, leaning on a staff carved with unfamiliar runes. The villagers parted instantly, bowing their heads.
Alan leaned slightly forward, whispering under his breath, "Who is he…?"
Edward's eyes darkened. "Must be the elder of this village… You bastards."
Eris hissed, barely audible, "Yes. He's the elder… using rituals to control them… fools."
Alan's gaze lingered, focusing on something deeper. The ritual, the fear, the obedience… it was more than just tradition. There was another reason, something lurking beneath the surface.
The elder's words cut through the murmuring crowd. "Bring her here."
A young woman stepped slowly from the line of villagers, head bowed, her white dress swaying lightly with each hesitant step. Upon her head rested a crown woven of delicate flowers, a cruel juxtaposition to the terror in the square.
Eris's eyes widened, breath quickening. Her voice, low and trembling, barely found its way past her lips. "…She is… my sister."
Edward's hand tightened on his sword. "Your sister?"
Alan's dark eyes darted between Eris and the scene unfolding. "The ritual… has already started."
The elder addressed the girl directly, his voice echoing over the silent crowd. "Today, this young woman will be sacrificed… for our people… for our village, for the world."
He paused, then added, "Fiona… is there anything you wish to say?"
Fiona lifted her chin slightly, voice quivering but resolute. "Eris…" she whispered, trembling. "…If you can hear me… run. Please… don't come here… don't…" Her voice cracked with sorrow, pain, and desperation. "Please… be safe…"
Eris's chest tightened violently, every heartbeat a dagger. She wanted to rush forward, to scream her sister's name, to tear through the crowd-but Edward's hand was firm on her shoulder, restraining her.
"Hey! Hey! It's okay, okay," Edward murmured, pressing a finger to her lips. "If you act now, you'll get yourself killed. You can't save her this way. Hold yourself."
Slowly, Eris's sobs settled into ragged breaths. She nodded, forcing focus back onto the situation. "Okay… thank you. I… I'm fine."
Alan's voice was soft but firm. "Don't worry. We'll find a way."
Edward gave her a brief, approving nod. Then, as quietly as they had come, they retreated from the edge of the village, minds racing, hearts pounding.
********
On the other side of the village, Kaelira stood in tense confusion, her eyes scanning the surroundings as if she could sense the absence of her companions.
Meera's hands fidgeted nervously at her side, worry etched across her delicate features.
"Where have they gone?" Kaelira muttered, voice low but sharp. "They should have returned by now…"
Before either could speak further, movement caught her eyes. Alan and Edward emerged from the forest's edge, stepping lightly but with purpose.
Kaelira's stride quickened, approaching them with the urgency of someone who feared the worst.
"Where were you two?" Kaelira demanded, her tone razor-sharp, eyes narrowing. "Do you even know what's really happening here?"
Edward's expression was calm, almost indifferent on the surface, but his dark eyes held the weight of the story he was about to tell. "Yeah… we know," he said simply.
From behind them, a shadow moved-Eris stepped forward, her face pale but determined, eyes burning with restrained fury.
Kaelira's gaze softened slightly, confused. "And who is this girl?" she asked, voice still cautious, but tinged with curiosity.
Alan took a deep breath. "The villagers… they were trying to sacrifice her," he said, voice low but steady. "She escaped… but her sister was already in her place. Edward and I decided to help her."
Kaelira's eyes narrowed, a mixture of frustration and reluctant understanding crossing her features. "You fools…" she muttered under her breath. Then, after a pause, she added firmly, "Even if we don't want to interfere… we have no choice."
Alan tilted his head, confusion flickering across his face. "What do you mean, Kaelira?"
She glanced at him, serious and unflinching. "The old man, the healer, requested it. The villagers believe it is a divine ritual, but it's… not what it seems."
Kaelira 's lips twitched "We're going to have to kill the monster," she said flatly, but her tone carried the weight of a warning.
Alan's eyes widened, disbelief etched into his features. "Wait ...What…"
Eris stepped forward, her voice trembling but strong. "That's impossible… You can't! People believe it's a god… how could you kill something like that?"
From behind them, a firm, resolute voice cut through the panic. The healer approached,
His posture was straight despite his age, his eyes burning with conviction. "No," he said, voice sharp, almost scolding.
"It is not a god. It's a monster. People blindly worship it, offering their lives in fear. But a god does not demand sacrifice to survive. Only fools think so."
Eris's face drained of colour. "What… what are you saying?" she whispered, shock and disbelief battling in her tone.
Kaelira stepped forward, her dark eyes cold but resolute. "He's right," she said simply. "We will eliminate it. There's no other way."
Alan's hands clenched into fists, shadow energy flickering faintly around him. "Then… we're really going to do this?" His voice wavered with a mix of fear, determination, and the anticipation of what lay ahead.
Edward placed a steady hand on his shoulder. "Be ready," he said, his tone both a warning and encouragement. "Our real training starts now."
Alan's mind raced. "We're… going to jump in directly?"
Kaelira shook her head, a hint of a grim smile tugging at her lips. "No. We move with a plan. Precision is necessary. You, girl, are here because you want to save your sister, correct?"
Eris's eyes burned with determination. She nodded, a single, firm motion that betrayed both fear and resolve.
"Good," Kaelira said, voice calm but edged with steel. "We have little time. This must be done before nightfall."
The group moved quietly, formulating their strategy. Alan's mind raced, analysing every detail he had witnessed-the villagers' fear, the elder's control, the ritual's timing, the monster hiding in plain sight. Every instinct screamed at him that this would not be an easy fight.
From the shadows of the village, Alan's gaze swept across the square, noting the flickering torches, the frightened faces, the ceremonial circle etched into the ground. Every heartbeat echoed in his chest. This was more than a battle of strength; it was a confrontation with human superstition, fear, and the raw brutality of survival.
Eris's hands trembled slightly, "I… I can't let them hurt her," she whispered, voice raw. "I… I have to do something."
Kaelira's gaze hardened, sweeping over the group. "Stay focused. This isn't just about saving a girl. Observe, plan, and strike. Precision… and control."
The sound of distant chanting carried on the wind, chilling and haunting. Alan felt a cold shiver run down his spine, shadow energy flaring faintly around his arms. He knew instinctively that tonight, nothing would be as it seemed.
From the village window, Alan watched the sun dip lower, casting long, distorted shadows across the square. Each flicker of light and movement hinted at danger, deception, and the cruelty of fate.
Time was slipping away, every second tightening the pressure around them like a vice. The ritual would conclude before nightfall, and if they failed… There would be no second chance.
Eris clenched her fists, resolve hardening. "I'll save her," she said, voice breaking but unwavering.
Kaelira's expression softened fractionally, though her eyes remained sharp. "Good. Stay close. And remember… one misstep, one lapse in judgment… and none of us will leave this village alive."
The ritual, the monster, the villagers' blind devotion-it all converged into one undeniable truth - survival would demand everything they had.